How old is too old for a decent physique?
stumblinthrulife
Posts: 2,558 Member
I turned 35 this year. I find myself wondering if a good physique is out of reach to someone only now starting to care about such things. Is there an age past which you just can't turn that spare tire into ripped abs?
0
Replies
-
I'm 45 and I think I look ok. I'm still 3-5% from my body fat goals0
-
I'm 45 and I think I look ok. I'm still 3-5% from my body fat goals
Are you coming from a point of being badly overweight and out of shape, and if so, when did you start turning things around?
I think it's undoubtedly possible to have a great physique as you get older, certainly if you keep working at it from your teens and twenties. I'm wondering if there's a point where it's too late to start turning things around.0 -
I think genetics play more of a role than age. If you can be ripped at 20 then you can at 50. And most everyone can improve relative to genetic gifts with effort. Athletic performance declines with age but that is different than being lean or achieving muscular hypertrophy. Metabolism changes, of course. so more effort may be required, but I don't think it is prohibitive.
35 is far from too old for sure.0 -
I'm 45 and I think I look ok. I'm still 3-5% from my body fat goals
Are you coming from a point of being badly overweight and out of shape, and if so, when did you start turning things around?
I think it's undoubtedly possible to have a great physique as you get older, certainly if you keep working at it from your teens and twenties. I'm wondering if there's a point where it's too late to start turning things around.
No. At my highest, I was at 190lbs. I'm at 171lbs currently. So no, I wasn't very overweight. But I don't think that makes a difference. It also depends on what you think a decent physique is. I'm far from the Hollywood ideal but that's why I posted myself as a reference.
I've never been that skinny ripped guy. Even when young. So I'm making a run at it at 45. I've been working out currently for about 3-4 years.0 -
I can relate! I am 35. For me, I lost 80 pounds when I was 30 and became frustrated at things like loose skin, stretch marks, etc. I got 'off the wagon' a bit so to speak and gained back about 25 pounds. That was silly. Even with loose skin and stretch marks, I look really great with cute small size clothes.
This time around, I found that being at a lower end of my weight range helps. Also, I am going to NOT GIVE UP!
I'm not sure that I will ever be 'bikini ready', but I do look really great in a little black dress with high heels.
It is never to late to get in shape and the time to start is NOW!
I wish you luck in your journey to good health and fitness! 0 -
35 is not old! And no, I do not think you are too old to get a decent physique if you are prepared to work for it.
And even if you could not get your idea of a decent physique, it is better to have a goal and work towards it than to feel defeated from the beginning, right ?0 -
Loose sin can make a difference for the formerly obese visually speaking. It's a good idea to either be realistic about that or be wealthy and willing to get surgery.0
-
<--- 45 year old. I lost 37lb last year that I had 'maintained' for a few years.
It really depends on genetics, how long you were overweight for, how much you were overweight - as well as 'putting in the time' obviously.0 -
I should introduce you to my friend Sublog - he was significantly overweight for years and has lost over 140lb and looks damn fine. He is about your age.0
-
I have a 60 years old friend on my friends list who recently hit her goal weight.
Sarauk2sf (above) is 45ish and looks awesome!0 -
<----Turning 40 in a few months and in the best shape of my life even after 6 pregnancies under my belt. It might take longer but there is not reason not to try. I know of a lady body builder that is 70 + years old.0
-
I should introduce you to my friend Sublog - he was significantly overweight for years and has lost over 140lb and looks damn fine. He is about your age.
I just looked up his profile, and to say that's given me hope would be an understatement.
Whatever my potential, I plan to keep working at this. I'm down from 220lb to 165lb, 40 inch waist trousers to 32 inch, and certainly much happier with myself. I guess this morning I just found myself wondering how much longer I can keep this up, and whether I'll hit a minimum BF% which I can't get below. I'm currently in the high teens based on tape measure and US Navy calculation, so hopefully I'll be able to keep going for a while yet.0 -
I sure as hell hope not. I'm a 42 year woman with about "30 pounds to lose". I use quotations because I'm no longer concerned with the number on the scale as I am my health and appearance. If I could weigh what I weight now and look good, I'd be satisfied.0
-
I realized at about your age that I was hopelessly out of shape. Years of working 65+ hour work weeks, client entertainment dinners and drinking, and a desk job had taken their toll. I don't know how big I was but I'd estimate 245 pounds and I had at least a 40 inch waist. I'm only 5'10". I started by walking, moved on to weight training with a basic split routine I used when I was younger, then moved on to trying to run. I say trying because I'm also asthmatic and it took a lot of effort to expand my lung capacity. I crossed the 40 year barrier at the end of last year with visible abs, I run 3-4 times a week, and I lift 4 days a week. I will tell you though without any hesitation that is is diet that is absolutely the most important part.0
-
Tosca Reno age 54. First Place!
I'm 46 with no plans of stopping!0 -
I realized at about your age that I was hopelessly out of shape. Years of working 65+ hour work weeks, client entertainment dinners and drinking, and a desk job had taken their toll. I don't know how big I was but I'd estimate 245 pounds and I had at least a 40 inch waist. I'm only 5'10". I started by walking, moved on to weight training with a basic split routine I used when I was younger, then moved on to trying to run. I say trying because I'm also asthmatic and it took a lot of effort to expand my lung capacity. I crossed the 40 year barrier at the end of last year with visible abs, I run 3-4 times a week, and I lift 4 days a week. I will tell you though without any hesitation that is is diet that is absolutely the most important part.
This is great to hear, as we have roughly the same starting point. Many thanks for the encouragement. I pay a lot of attention to my diet, lift three times a week, and run 3 miles 3 times a week. It sounds like there is hope!0 -
I'm 38 and about a month into lifting after a 20 year hiatus. I was at 265 in August 2012 and lost about 30 pounds between then and Thanksgiving. I was only doing cardio and diet, no lifting. And, about this time I stopped losing. Fast forward to the end of April and I was still about 235. Then SideSteel got me lifting, adjusted my diet and got me to get a food scale. I'm down around six pounds (mostly a whoosh) but I know the fat is leaving and I'm gaining muscle. I'm already seeing my quads popping out a little bit. Looking in the mirror I can see the start of lats forming which haven't been there in untold years. I know I'll lose the fat and with the lifting I'm doing the muscles "should" pop pretty much everywhere once I get down to goal (probably around 180). If I don't get the super sexy "V" with washboard abs at the end of it I won't be too mad, because I'm already getting muscles to show up elsewhere. I know more are coming, but don't know when or where (I think I saw a bicep the other day!). Most of the pretty striated muscles will happen over time. There really is no cut off for gaining "something" out of it. You may never end up looking perfect, but you'll look better than you do now.
TLDR: You might not get everything perfect and end up with some loose skin, but it's better than the alternative.
Oh, and effing stretch marks. You get to keep those forever, but they do fade. There are also ways you can minimize them. Some methods work and some don't (If I remember right studies showed cocoa butter as no change). The best I can offer is to look at some of the studies on stretch marks of pregnant females.0 -
I should introduce you to my friend Sublog - he was significantly overweight for years and has lost over 140lb and looks damn fine. He is about your age.
I just looked up his profile, and to say that's given me hope would be an understatement.
Whatever my potential, I plan to keep working at this. I'm down from 220lb to 165lb, 40 inch waist trousers to 32 inch, and certainly much happier with myself. I guess this morning I just found myself wondering how much longer I can keep this up, and whether I'll hit a minimum BF% which I can't get below. I'm currently in the high teens based on tape measure and US Navy calculation, so hopefully I'll be able to keep going for a while yet.
I think you have to change your lifestyle and eating habits so you don't get into your old ways and old weights. I'm trying to make permanent changes for the long run so any gains I make will stay and not disappear the second I stop some fad diet or some fad exercise program that I hate. Make sense?0 -
I should introduce you to my friend Sublog - he was significantly overweight for years and has lost over 140lb and looks damn fine. He is about your age.
I just looked up his profile, and to say that's given me hope would be an understatement.
Whatever my potential, I plan to keep working at this. I'm down from 220lb to 165lb, 40 inch waist trousers to 32 inch, and certainly much happier with myself. I guess this morning I just found myself wondering how much longer I can keep this up, and whether I'll hit a minimum BF% which I can't get below. I'm currently in the high teens based on tape measure and US Navy calculation, so hopefully I'll be able to keep going for a while yet.
I think you have to change your lifestyle and eating habits so you don't get into your old ways and old weights. I'm trying to make permanent changes for the long run so any gains I make will stay and not disappear the second I stop some fad diet or some fad exercise program that I hate. Make sense?
^^this is spot on imo - do things you enjoy so you will keep doing them.0 -
Oh, and effing stretch marks. You get to keep those forever, but they do fade. There are also ways you can minimize them. Some methods work and some don't (If I remember right studies showed cocoa butter as no change). The best I can offer is to look at some of the studies on stretch marks of pregnant females.
That's one area where I'm blessed. I don't seem to have much in the way of stretch marks. A few on the inside of my thighs, but I put those down to my high kicking martial arts days!0 -
I think you have to change your lifestyle and eating habits so you don't get into your old ways and old weights. I'm trying to make permanent changes for the long run so any gains I make will stay and not disappear the second I stop some fad diet or some fad exercise program that I hate. Make sense?
Agreed. I'm not really denying myself anything, and I've been lucky to find a diet that works for my macros and calories that rarely, if ever, leaves me hungry. I find myself in the IIFYM camp. I eat a lot of veg, salad, fruit and lean protein, but if I want a bowl of ice cream every night, and I can fit it in my goals, dammit I'm going to eat it. Frankly, I could eat like this the rest of my life, even without increasing to maintenance calories, and still be happy.
Once I decide to switch to maintenance, I'll do so slowly, adding 100 calories per day each month. As I see my weight level out, I'll stop at that number of daily calories and monitor and tweak from there.0 -
Really?! Have you looked around this site?
Sidesteel is your age! I have a couple of guys on my FL who are older than you and *smoking hot* (not that I notice)
. And they are everywhere. And don't even get me started on the women! 0 -
Really?! Have you looked around this site?
Sidesteel is your age! I have a couple of guys on my FL who are older than you and *smoking hot* (not that I notice) . And they are everywhere. And don't even get me started on the women!
Oh I know. But I didn't know when Sidesteel started to get ripped like that, or what his starting point was.
Trust me, if I can end up with a bod like SS, I'll be delighted. As will the wife 0 -
Really?! Have you looked around this site?
Sidesteel is your age! I have a couple of guys on my FL who are older than you and *smoking hot* (not that I notice) . And they are everywhere. And don't even get me started on the women!
Oh I know. But I didn't know when Sidesteel started to get ripped like that, or what his starting point was.
Trust me, if I can end up with a bod like SS, I'll be delighted. As will the wife
Yeah but then you'll be getting creeper messages.
And you can ask SS... not all of the creeper messages are from girls either
0 -
Yeah but then you'll be getting creeper messages.
And you can ask SS... not all of the creeper messages are from girls either
:laugh:0 -
Agreed. I'm not really denying myself anything, and I've been lucky to find a diet that works for my macros and calories that rarely, if ever, leaves me hungry. I find myself in the IIFYM camp. I eat a lot of veg, salad, fruit and lean protein, but if I want a bowl of ice cream every night, and I can fit it in my goals, dammit I'm going to eat it. Frankly, I could eat like this the rest of my life, even without increasing to maintenance calories, and still be happy.
Funny you should mention ice cream. Sara eats ice cream every, freaking, day:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/Sarauk2sf?date=2013-05-280 -
Really?! Have you looked around this site?
Sidesteel is your age! I have a couple of guys on my FL who are older than you and *smoking hot* (not that I notice) . And they are everywhere. And don't even get me started on the women!
QFT!! Don't let age be an excuse- you've got this!!!0 -
I realized at about your age that I was hopelessly out of shape. Years of working 65+ hour work weeks, client entertainment dinners and drinking, and a desk job had taken their toll. I don't know how big I was but I'd estimate 245 pounds and I had at least a 40 inch waist. I'm only 5'10". I started by walking, moved on to weight training with a basic split routine I used when I was younger, then moved on to trying to run. I say trying because I'm also asthmatic and it took a lot of effort to expand my lung capacity. I crossed the 40 year barrier at the end of last year with visible abs, I run 3-4 times a week, and I lift 4 days a week. I will tell you though without any hesitation that is is diet that is absolutely the most important part.
This is great to hear, as we have roughly the same starting point. Many thanks for the encouragement. I pay a lot of attention to my diet, lift three times a week, and run 3 miles 3 times a week. It sounds like there is hope!
There's definitely hope. Just keep at it. You'll get to a point where you realize that you only have a few more pounds to lose and you'll stop recognizing yourself in the mirror. Keeping up with my kids is the real gift though.0 -
There's definitely hope. Just keep at it. You'll get to a point where you realize that you only have a few more pounds to lose and you'll stop recognizing yourself in the mirror. Keeping up with my kids is the real gift though.
I've reached the point of keeping up with my kids... and then overtook them. I used to get worn out playing with them at the park. Now they whiiiiine at me: "Daaaaaad, we're tiiired. Can we go home now?"0 -
There's definitely hope. Just keep at it. You'll get to a point where you realize that you only have a few more pounds to lose and you'll stop recognizing yourself in the mirror. Keeping up with my kids is the real gift though.
I've reached the point of keeping up with my kids... and then overtook them. I used to get worn out playing with them at the park. Now they whiiiiine at me: "Daaaaaad, we're tiiired. Can we go home now?"
:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:0
This discussion has been closed.